Monday, June 27, 2016

You can never have too many stars and stripes on your Fourth
of July table, right? These cute napkin ties are a great project for using up
stash from your craft closet. They're easy to stitch from felt, ribbon, and
buttons.

For each napkin ring, cut three different size stars from
red, white, and blue felt. The stars I used are 4 inches, 3 inches, and 2
inches wide. (Cut out two of the large star so you have one for the backing.) Use
two strands of matching embroidery floss and running stitch to sew the small
star to the middle star. Sew a button to the center of the small star, and then
sew the appliqued middle star to the large star. To make the tie, center a
24-inch piece of ribbon over the backing star. Pin the appliqued star to the
backing star, sandwiching the ribbon between. Stitch the two large stars
together with running stitch, being careful to secure the ribbon in place.

Repeat the process until you have enough napkin ties for all
of your Fourth of July guests.

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

The Summer 2016 issue of Craft Ideas magazine is out, and my cross-stitched goldfish is inside. It's a beanbag that can be used as a bookend. (My kind of pet--no feeding required.) The issue is filled with lots of cute summertime projects. Look for it on your newsstand . . . Happy crafting!

Monday, June 6, 2016

June has finally arrived, which means beach season is here! Even though I'm landlocked here in Pennsylvania, I love beachy decor in summertime. This little lobster ornament is quick to cross-stitch, and it looks so cute hanging in the kitchen. You can make a bunch and use them to decorate your patio or picnic table.

This project uses just three colors of DMC 6-strand embroidery floss: 310 Black, 321 Christmas Red, and 498 Dark Christmas Red. My lobster is stitched on 14-count white Aida fabric, but you can use 11-count or 18-count. Follow the chart and key below and use two strands of floss to cross-stitch your lobster.

When the stitching is finished, cut the lobster from the Aida, leaving a border of six fabric squares on all sides. Cut two pieces of red felt to the size you want your ornament to be and sew the cross-stitched Aida to one of the felt pieces with white thread. Make your stitching line three squares beyond all sides of the cross-stitching. To finish the ornament, pin the to felt pieces together, wrong sides facing, and sew them together with red embroidery floss and running stitch. Sew a piece of red-and-white gingham ribbon in place at the top of the ornament. Leave an opening at the bottom, fill the ornament with fiberfill, and stitch it closed.